Platform System

ABSTRACT

In a networkable platform system for collecting and processing information in a network comprising a plurality of real access-authorized contributors, new processing procedures and a new analysis of information are made possible by the feature to the effect that the information on the platform is formed by a plurality of dual units, wherein each dual unit comprises a public discussion and a predefinable processing criterion assigned to said public discussion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a Continuation-in-Part of PCT/DE2012/100250, filed Aug. 28, 2012, and entitled “Platform System” and benefit is claimed of U.S. 61/564460, filed Nov. 29, 2011, and entitled “Platform Systems” and U.S. 61/786,876, filed Mar. 15, 2013, and entitled “Platform System A Platform for Focused Discussion”, and priority is claimed of DE 10 2011 111 381.2, filed Aug. 29, 2011, the disclosures of which four applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties as if set forth at length.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the invention is to support focused public discussion on a specific topic, in order that a group discussion can proceed on fruitful lines, instead of being diverted or side-tracked into irrelevant directions. In particular, this invention can be used to facilitate collaborative development of a new document, or of a solution to a specific problem.

The term “crowd sourcing” is used to describe turning over a problem to a group on which no organizational structure has been imposed. The lack of structure means that the individual contributors are less inhibited and can feel free to contribute their own expertise and insights without fear of violating hierarchical rules. This is especially true when the discussions are conducted online, rather than in-person, so that the individuals do not need to catch the attention of a group leader to make their points.

Unfortunately, an online discussion is also susceptible to being distracted by tangential issues on matters that are off-topic. Further, a discussion can be completely de-railed by “trolling,” when one individual wants to prevent any progress by tying up the discussion in matters that are irrelevant, distracting or even offensive.

These problems can be prevented by the activity of a discussion moderator, who can ensure that each comment that is sent in by a contributor is vetted for relevance and usefulness before being exposed to the group for consideration. However, this means that a moderator must read and vet every proposed comment before anyone else does; therefore, the pace of discussion will be dramatically slowed down.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

What is needed is a platform and method for screening contributed comments to a discussion, to ensure that they are on-topic and not offensive. Such a technique of processing, customarily realized by means of electronic filters, need not be perfectly accurate in order to be useful in preventing the discussion from being drowned in irrelevancies. Off-topic comments that escape the vetting can still be removed from the commentarial history at a later date; but even if only a majority of such irrelevancies can be prevented from contaminating the discussion, faster progress can be made than would otherwise be the case.

In the present invention, it is considered that there are a group of contributors, who are internet users. Each of them has an individual connection to the internet, by which he can view a website on which the discussion topic is described and the history of the accepted comments is displayed. Each can also submit comments for that history; however, a submitted comment is not incorporated into the history immediately, but only if the comment survives a processing process imposed by the website manager. If it does, it is then incorporated into the commentarial history and becomes part of the discussion (i.e., visible to the other contributors). If it does not survive the processing system rejects the comment, and it is not entered into the commentarial history file.

The invention therefore relates to a networkable platform system for collecting and processing information in a network comprising a plurality of real access-authorized contributors.

Platform systems of the above kind are known in the prior art for use in a large number of applications. They are used, inter alia, in the global Internet. However, the prior platform systems suffer from the drawback that a specific selection of predefinable links and links that are executable according to predefinable criteria cannot be realized. The cause resides, inter alia, in the fact that the current platforms store information without any strictly predefinable processing criteria or strictly predefinable evaluating criteria being assigned to this information.

It is thus an object of the invention to provide a platform system by means of which information can be processed according to strictly predefinable processing criteria and can thus be modified.

For a platform system of the above type, this object is achieved in that the information on the platform is formed by a plurality of dual units wherein each dual unit comprises a public discussion and a predefinable processing criterion assigned to said public discussion.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are the contributor matter of the subordinate claims.

In the case of the platform system of the invention, the combination of features to the effect that the information on the platform is formed by a plurality of dual units wherein each dual unit comprises a public discussion and a predefinable processing criterion assigned to said public discussion has the result that the formation of dual units enables information to be processable with reference to very specific processing instructions, modified, and then stored, the information being partitioned to form various public discussions with assigned processing criteria.

According to a first preferred embodiment of the system of the invention, provision is made to the effect that a processing criterion is realized in form of an electronic filter, enabling an identification of processing themes and processing criteria by means of predefined keywords and agglomerations of predefined keywords.

According to a second preferred embodiment of the system of the invention, provision is made to the effect that each contributor can gain access to the dual units, in order to make each public discussion processable by each contributor in the light of the processing criterion assigned to each public discussion.

According to an important preferred embodiment of the system of the invention, provision is made to the effect that a dual unit can be partitioned to form two or more dual units by assignment of at least one further processing criterion to a first public discussion on the part of one of the contributors.

According to an alternative preferred embodiment of the system of the invention, provision is made to the effect that a dual unit can be partitioned to form two or more dual units by assignment of at least one further public discussion to a first processing criterion on the part of one of the contributors.

Depending on the embodiment and purpose of the platform system of the invention, provision may be made to the effect that an initial placement of a dual unit is made possible for each contributor or for only some of the contributors.

According to another important preferred embodiment of the system of the invention, provision is made to the effect that the number of real access-authorized contributors is an subset of a total number of potential access-authorized contributors and a filter with predefinable criteria can be placed between the subset of real access-authorized contributors and the total number of potential access-authorized contributors.

An important factor concerning the platform system of the invention is that the contributors constitute individual persons or groups of persons and are not, in particular, formed by automatically running algorithms, especially computer programs.

In order to define a subset of the total number of potential access-authorized contributors, use can be made of processing criteria concerning, in particular, age, sex, education, and regional origin of said persons. Moreover, there is the possibility of forming a subset from the subset of the real access-authorized contributors by means of a stochastic process controlled by a random sequence generator. In this case, the size of the subset during a predefinable period of time is preferably controllable such that the subset, starting from a predefinable initial size, increases in size with time within said period of time. Alternatively, provision may be made to the effect that the size of the subset during a predefinable period of time is controllable such that the subset, starting from a predefinable initial size, decreases in size with time within said period of time.

The platform in the platform system of the invention preferably has at least one electronic storage chip and also at least one electronic processor chip for processing the information stored on the at least one storage chip.

Likewise, it is preferably possible to permit the contributors to access the information stored on the at least one storage chip by means of decentralized electronic units connected to the platform system via the Internet.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The system of the invention is explained below with reference to a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a drawing of a general form of realization of a dual unit (DuU) corresponding to a preferred embodiment of the invention in form of a block diagram.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A processing criterion is realized in form of an electronic filter, enabling an identification of processing themes and processing criteria by means of predefined keywords and agglomerations of predefined keywords. As depicted in FIG. 1, a dual unit comprises a public discussion plus a conjugated predetermined processing criterion, realized in form of an electronic filter enabling an identification of processing themes and processing criteria by means of predefined keywords and agglomerations of predefined keywords.

The platform system of the invention is intended for collecting and processing information in a network comprising a plurality of real access-authorized contributors, the information on the platform being formed by a plurality of dual units. Each dual unit comprises a public discussion and a predefinable processing criterion assigned to the public discussion.

It is possible for each contributor to gain access to the dual units, in order to make each public discussion processable by each contributor in the light of the processing criterion assigned to the public discussion.

A dual unit can be partitioned to form two or more dual units either by assignment of at least one further processing criterion to a first public discussion on the part of one of the contributors or by assignment of at least one further public discussion to a first processing criterion on the part of one of the contributors.

Each of the contributors has the possibility of an initial placement of a dual unit.

The number of the real access-authorized contributors is an subset of a total number of potential access-authorized contributors, and a filter with predefinable criteria can be placed between the subset of the real access-authorized contributors and the total number of potential access-authorized contributors.

The contributors constitute individual persons or groups of persons, and the predefinable processing criteria relate to age, sex, education, and regional origin of said persons.

A subset can be formed from the subset of real access-authorized contributors by means of a stochastic process controlled by a random sequence generator. The size of the subset can be controlled during a predefinable period of time such that the subset, starting from a predefinable initial size, increases or decreases in size with time within said period of time.

The platform includes at least one electronic storage chip and also at least one electronic processor chip for processing the information stored on the at least one storage chip.

It is possible for the contributors to gain access to the information stored on the at least one storage chip by means of decentralized electronic units connected to the platform system via the Internet.

The exemplary embodiment of the invention explained above serves only the purpose of providing better comprehension of the teaching of the invention defined in the claims, which is not, as such, restricted to said exemplary embodiment. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A networkable platform system for collecting and processing information in a network comprising a plurality of real access-authorized contributors, characterized in that the information on the platform is formed by a plurality of dual units, wherein each dual unit comprises a public discussion and a predefinable processing criterion assigned to said public discussion.
 2. The system as defined in claim 1, characterized in that a processing criterion is realized in form of an electronic filter, enabling an identification of processing themes and processing criteria by means of predefined keywords and agglomerations of predefined keywords.
 3. The system as defined in claim 1, characterized in that each contributor can gain access to the dual units, in order to make each public discussion processable by each contributor in the light of the processing criterion assigned to each public discussion.
 4. The system as defined in claim 3, characterized in that a dual unit can be partitioned to form two or more dual units by assignment of at least one further processing criterion to a first public discussion on the part of one of the contributors.
 5. The system as defined in claim 3, characterized in that a dual unit can be partitioned to form two or more dual units by assignment of at least one further public discussion to a first processing criterion on the part of one of the contributors.
 6. The system as defined in claim 1, characterized in that each of the contributors has the possibility of an initial placement of a dual unit.
 7. The system as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the number of real access-authorized contributors is a subset of a total number of potential access-authorized contributors and a filter with predefinable criteria can be placed between the subset of the real access-authorized contributors and the total number of potential access-authorized contributors.
 8. The system as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the contributors constitute persons.
 9. The system as defined in claim 8, characterized in that said processing criteria relate to age, sex, education, and regional origin of said persons.
 10. The system as defined in claim 8, characterized in that a subset can be formed from the subset of the real access-authorized contributors by means of a stochastic process controlled by a random sequence generator.
 11. The system as defined in claim 10, characterized in that the size of the subset during a predefinable period of time is controllable such that the subset, starting from a predefinable initial size, increases in size with time within said period of time.
 12. The system as defined in claim 10, characterized in that the size of the subset during a predefinable period of time is controllable such that the subset, starting from a predefinable initial size, decreases in size with time within said period of time.
 13. The system as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said platform includes at least one electronic storage chip and also at least one electronic processor chip for processing the information stored on said at least one storage chip.
 14. The system as defined in claim 13, characterized in that said contributors have the possibility of gaining access to the information stored on said at least one storage chip by means of decentralized electronic units connected to said platform system via the Internet. 